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PRS SE Silver Sky Maple
Gibson 70s Flying V
VS
Playability
70
Sound
74
Build
60
Value
73
Score
68
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Playability
73
Sound
72
Build
69
Value
66
Score
71
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PRS SE Silver Sky Maple vs Gibson 70s Flying V Specs Comparison
PRS SE Silver Sky Maple Gibson 70s Flying V
General
Brand: PRS Gibson
Year: 2024 2019
Configuration: SSS HH
Strings: 6 6
Made in: Indonesia United States
Series: SE Original Collection
Colors: Black, Blue, Purple White
Left-Handed Version: Yes No
Body
Type: Solid Body Solid Body
Body Material: Poplar Mahogany
Bridge: 2-Point Steel Tremolo Aluminum Nashville Tune-O-Matic
Neck
Neck Joint: Bolt-On Set
Tuners: Vintage-Style Grover Rotomatics w/ Kidney Buttons
Fretboard: Maple Rosewood
Neck Material: Maple Mahogany
Decoration: Small Birds Acrylic Dots
Scale Size: 25.5" 24.75"
Shape: 635JM Slim Taper
Thickness: 1st Fret: 0.846'' (21.5mm) - 12th Fret: 0.949'' (24.1mm) 1st Fret: 0.82'' (20.8mm) - 12th Fret: 0.92'' (23.4mm)
Frets: 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver 22 Medium Jumbo Nickel Silver
Fretboard Radius: 8.5" 12"
Nut: Synthetic Bone Ivory Tusq
Nut Width: 41.7mm (1.641'') 43mm (1.693'')
Electronics
Bridge Pickups: 635JM “S” (Single Coil / Passive) Gibson 70s Tribute (Humbucker / Passive)
Middle Pickup: 635JM “S” (Single Coil / Passive)
Neck Pickup: 635JM “S” (Single Coil / Passive) Gibson 70s Tribute (Humbucker / Passive)
Switch: 5 Way 3 Way
Knobs: Bell Bell
Pickup Mods: None None
Volume Controls: 1 2
Tone Controls: 2 1
Hardware
Strap Lock: No No
Hardware Color: Nickel Chrome
Show Diagrams Comparison
PRS SE Silver Sky Maple pickups switch selector and push knobs diagram
PRS SE Silver Sky Maple's switch options
Gibson 70s Flying V pickups switch and push knobs diagram
Gibson 70s Flying V's switch options

Reasons to Get
PRS SE Silver Sky Maple over Gibson 70s Flying V

Release Year
2024 vs 2019
From a more recent year
Neck Profile
635JM vs Slim Taper
Thick neck that gives you a better grip
Neck Joint
Bolt-On vs Set
Allows you to detach and swap the neck
Switch Positions
5 vs 3
More tone options
Tone Knobs
2 vs 1
More tone control
Pickups
SSS vs HH
Beautiful cleans and good tone versatility
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.846'' (21.5mm) vs 0.82'' (20.8mm)
More comfortable open chords for big hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.949'' (24.1mm) vs 0.92'' (23.4mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for big hands
Nut Width
1.641'' (41.7mm) vs 1.693'' (43mm)
Favors small hands, easier bar chords and other shapes
Bridge
Tremolo vs Fixed
Simple vibratos without too much maintenance
Scale Length
25.5'' (647.7mm) vs 24.75'' (628.7mm)
Lower action and brighter natural tone
Fretboard Radius
8.5'' (215.9mm) vs 12'' (304.8mm)
Easier to play chords without muting strings
Value Score
73 vs 66
Better price/quality relationship

Reasons to Get
Gibson 70s Flying V over PRS SE Silver Sky Maple

Country of Manufacturing
United States vs Indonesia
Built with higher quality standards
Neck Profile
Slim Taper vs 635JM
Comfortable neck that works for most people
Volume Knobs
2 vs 1
More volume control
Pickups
HH vs SSS
High output without hum
Neck Thickness at 1st Fret
0.82'' (20.8mm) vs 0.846'' (21.5mm)
More comfortable open chords for small hands
Neck Thickness at 12th Fret
0.92'' (23.4mm) vs 0.949'' (24.1mm)
More comfortable at higher frets for small hands
Nut Width
1.693'' (43mm) vs 1.641'' (41.7mm)
Less likely to mute strings by accident and more space for fingerstyle
Bridge
Fixed vs Tremolo
Good sustain and needs no set-up
Scale Length
24.75'' (628.7mm) vs 25.5'' (647.7mm)
Easier bending, shorter fret separation and warmer natural tone
Fretboard Radius
12'' (304.8mm) vs 8.5'' (215.9mm)
Flatter fretboard makes it easier to play single notes and bend

Other Key Differences
PRS SE Silver Sky Maple vs Gibson 70s Flying V

Bridge Pickup
635JM “S” vs Gibson 70s Tribute
Different Bridge Pickup
Neck Pickup
635JM “S” vs Gibson 70s Tribute
Different Neck Pickup
Body Wood
Poplar vs Mahogany
Different Body Wood
Neck Wood
Maple vs Mahogany
Different Neck Wood
Fretboard Wood
Maple vs Rosewood
Different Fretboard Wood
Nut Material
Synthetic Bone vs Ivory Tusq
Different Nut Material

Shared Features
PRS SE Silver Sky Maple vs Gibson 70s Flying V

Headstock
3-3
Same Headstock
Strings
6
Same playing style
Body Type
Solid Body
Feedback free
Number of Frets
22
Same maximum octave
Paint Finish
Poly
Resistant paint that ages well
Pickups Power
Passive
Cleaner sound and no battery needed
Type of Frets
Medium Jumbo
You'll feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings

Common Strengths

  • High-Quality Nut
  • Top Pickup Brand

Common Weaknesses

  • Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
  • Weight Relief
  • Locking Tuners
  • Stays in Tune (Evertune)
  • High-Quality Frets
  • Compound Radius Fretboard
  • Luminescent Sidedots
  • Strap Lock
  • 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • Active/Passive Preamp

Price History Comparison

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SET PRICE ALERT

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Hand Size Comfortability

And after taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that the PRS SE Silver Sky Maple favors large hands more than the Gibson 70s Flying V.

PRS SE Silver Sky Maple:
Big Hands
Small Hands
Gibson 70s Flying V:
Big Hands
Small Hands

Beginner Friendliness

The PRS SE Silver Sky Maple meets 4 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness, while the Gibson 70s Flying V meets only 3. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players.

New Player Friendliness

PRS SE Silver Sky Maple
  • Comfortable shape
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Narrow nut
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Short scale
  • Comfortable neck
  • Locking tuners

New Player Friendliness

Gibson 70s Flying V
  • Easy-to-use bridge
  • Tall frets
  • Comfortable neck
  • Comfortable shape
  • Comfortable fretboard
  • Narrow nut
  • Short scale
  • Locking tuners

Sound Quality Comparison

The wood used in an electric guitar or bass is not as important to determine the final tone. However, some people prefer specific wood types, so we'll take a look at those first. Then, we'll take a look at the electronics to determine the versatility and sound quality of each instrument.

Woods Used in the PRS SE Silver Sky Maple

Maple wood pattern used for guitar building
Maple
Poplar wood pattern used for guitar building
Poplar

Maple is one of the most popular necks for good reasons. It is a strong wood that is relatively cheap to make and looks beautiful. The highest quality maple is the hardest that comes from North America. Find out more about Maple.

Poplar is a cheaper and heavier alternative to Alder wood. It terms of tone, it emphasizes the low-end and has cutting mids. It's relatively soft compared to most body woods. Find out more about Poplar.

Woods Used in the Gibson 70s Flying V

Mahogany wood pattern used for guitar building
Mahogany
Rosewood wood pattern used for guitar building
Rosewood

Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.

Rosewood is an almost purple-looking wood that is used mainly for fretboards since it's heavy, rare, and expensive. It's sometimes used on acoustic guitar bodies to create stronger warm tones. Find out more about Rosewood.

Winner: Gibson 70s Flying V.

Pickup Configuration

The PRS SE Silver Sky Maple has an SSS configuration while the Gibson 70s Flying V has HH pickups.

SSS is perfect for players who like to play clean. The definition you get between notes and the crispiness is unmatched by most other configurations. You can still use it for distortion, but you won't get the same kind of output and power compared to a humbucker, and the hum they produce also makes them less adequate for high gain.

On the other hand, Double Humbucker (HH) is the choice for people who want a fuller, more round sound with tons of mids and lows. Humbuckers also get rid of the hum noise that plague single-coil pickups. They can work out for almost any genre going from Djent to even Jazz.

Pickups Quality

Both come with very good pickups from at least one of the specialized brands in the market. With pickups like these, you probably won't need an upgrade anytime soon.

However, the PRS SE Silver Sky Maple has a slight sound quality advantage when taking into account other factors like the type of pickups, magnet, position, etc.

Both use Passive pickups. This is what's used for most music genres. They have a regular output and will serve you for both high-gain and clean tones. The alternative (Active pickups) offer a higher output that is mostly used for heavy music.

Winner: PRS SE Silver Sky Maple.

Versatility Comparison

Some instruments offer you more ways to explore your creativity than others. Below you'll find how both compare when it comes to versatility.

Switch Options

The PRS SE Silver Sky Maple gives you 5 switch options while the Gibson 70s Flying V gives you 3. This means that the PRS SE Silver Sky Maple gives you more options to find the right pickup combination for the type of sound you want to achieve

Neither of them come with some kind of coil split or pickup mod option. This makes both lacking in terms of versatility.

When evaluating versatility, we also take into consideration bridge and neck joint type, number of frets, switch options, amount of pickups and more.

Winner: PRS SE Silver Sky Maple.

Final Sound Quality Scores

PRS SE Silver Sky Maple
Pickups 100
Sustain 60
Versatility 72
Tuning Stability 65
Sound 74
Gibson 70s Flying V
Pickups 90
Sustain 75
Versatility 51
Tuning Stability 70
Sound 72

Build Quality Comparison

When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the PRS SE Silver Sky Maple compares to the Gibson 70s Flying V.

Country of Origin

The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. The PRS SE Silver Sky Maple is built in Indonesia while the Gibson 70s Flying V is made in United States.

Indonesia is becoming the most popular country for guitar building because they can make good instruments for a low price. Some people think that they're 'the new China' when it comes to build quality. But the truth is that Indonesian guitars are more consistent, although Chinese quality has improved a lot in the last few years.

The United States is considered one of the best electric guitar manufacturers in the world. A guitar made in this country is supposed to have world-class quality control. Nowadays, guitars made in other countries can beat some of the ones made in the US, but most of the time, this country offers the best you can get. Of course, that comes at a price.

Winner: Gibson 70s Flying V

Nut Material

If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.

The PRS SE Silver Sky Maple has a Synthetic Bone nut. Bone is the best natural material for guitar nuts. However, its tonal properties can be inconsistent. That's the problem that synthetic bone fixes. This is much better than using a plastic nut because the nut is more slippery—which helps with tuning stability—, and it gives your open strings rich harmonics.

On the other hand, the Gibson 70s Flying V comes with a Ivory Tusq nut. Ivory used to be considered the best material for guitar nuts due to its beauty, durability, and the rich harmonics and sustain you could get from a guitar with it. However, the way to obtain it is simply unethical. Enter TUSQ ivory nuts, which are made synthetically to imitate ivory. Technically, it's better than ivory because it is consistent piece-to-piece, while natural materials can vary a lot, even if they're made from the same.

Winner: Tie.

Fret Material

Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.

Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.

Winner: Tie.

Bridge

The perfect bridge for you will depend on your playstyle because they all have advantages and disadvantages. However, some bridges are more expensive—like Floyd Roses and Evertunes—and thus add more value to a guitar.

The PRS SE Silver Sky Maple's brige is a Tremolo. Tremolo bridges give you more versatility than fixed bridges. They let you perform the intense vibrato effects that would be impossible with a fixed bridge. However, since the bridge floats and there's less contact with the body, the strings lose sustain slightly faster. They can also be a bit harder to restring and set up correctly than fixed bridges.

On the other hand, the Gibson 70s Flying V's is a Fixed. It's a simple bridge that is very beginner-friendly since it doesn't require any set-up. You can swap strings easily. It might also give more sustain since it doesn't have complex moving parts that make the strings lose vibration. However, it doesn't have the same versatility as a tremolo bridge.

Since we need to be objective, the most expensive type of bridge will be the winner of this section. In the end, this doesn't matter if you're not going to use the bridge for its original purpose, so choose the bridge that fits your playing style better.

Winner: Tie.

Tuners

Both come with regular tuners. The PRS SE Silver Sky Maple's are Vintage-Style while the Gibson 70s Flying V's are Grover Rotomatics w/ Kidney Buttons

Winner: Tie.

Neck Joint

Contrary to popular belief, the difference in sustain and tone that some neck joints give to a guitar is simply unperceivable—if they're all well built. However, some of them do have advantages over the others.

The PRS SE Silver Sky Maple has a Bolt-On neck joint. This neck is joined to the body by 4 bolts that you can simply unscrew. This allows you to replace the neck or take it off for travel. It's the most common and cheapest way to build a guitar.

On the other hand, the Gibson 70s Flying V comes with Set neck joint. This neck is tightly glued to the body. They give you the least versatility because you can't swap them for a neck that fits your hand better if you want to, unlike bolt-on necks. Some people think this gives more resonance and sustain, but there's no real difference if the bolt-on joint is well built.

Winner: PRS SE Silver Sky Maple.

Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:

Strengths & Weaknesses
PRS SE Silver Sky Maple
  • Synthetic Bone Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Tremolo
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • Made in Indonesia
  • No Expensive Woods
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock
Strengths & Weaknesses
Gibson 70s Flying V
  • Made in United States
  • Expensive Wood
  • Ivory Tusq Nut
  • Top Brand Pickups
  • Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
  • No Locking Tuners
  • No Neck-Through Build
  • No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
  • No Weight Relief
  • No Luminescent Inlay
  • No Tremolo
  • No Compound Radius Fretboard
  • No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
  • No Strap Lock

Final Build Quality Scores

PRS SE Silver Sky Maple
Quality of materials 56
Features 55
Quality Control 70
Build Quality 60
Gibson 70s Flying V
Quality of materials 66
Features 50
Quality Control 90
Build Quality 69

Playability Comparison

Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.

Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.

Nut Width

PRS SE Silver Sky Maple Nut Width
PRS SE Silver Sky Maple Nut Width
Gibson 70s Flying V Nut Width
Gibson 70s Flying V Nut Width

The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, the Gibson 70s Flying V has the wider nut with 43mm (1.693'') vs 41.7mm (1.641''). This is a 1.3mm (0.052'') difference

This means that it will be more difficult to do bar chords on the Gibson 70s Flying V, especially closer to the nut. However, it's also easier to play without muting strings accidently. This favors people with big hands.

Scale Length

PRS SE Silver Sky Maple's Scale Length
PRS SE Silver Sky Maple's Scale Length
Gibson 70s Flying V's Scale Length
Gibson 70s Flying V's Scale Length

The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.

The PRS SE Silver Sky Maple has the longest scale: 25.5". The Gibson 70s Flying V is only 24.75" long. This is a 0.75'' (19.1mm) scale length difference.

This longer scale means that the strings need more tension to get in tune. This is good if you want to avoid fret buzz, which can happen when the strings are too loose and touch the frets while vibrating. This is especially important when playing in lower tunings. This will also let you reduce the gap between fretboard and strings (low action) to make them easier to press down. However, this higher tension will also make it harder to perform bends and vibratos as the strings will feel stiffer.

This also means that the frets have a longer separation between each other, so this will make it harder for people with smaller hands when playing some chord positions.

Another characteristic of a longer scale is that it makes the guitar sound 'snappier' or brighter. This is due to the extra separation between harmonics and overtones produced by the tension. This influences tone more than any other factor (except the pickups).

Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.

Neck Profile

PRS SE Silver Sky Maple Neck Profile
PRS SE Silver Sky Maple's neck profile
Gibson 70s Flying V Neck Profile
Gibson 70s Flying V's neck profile

No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.

In this case, both have different neck shapes:

The PRS SE Silver Sky Maple has a Vintage type of neck. This means that it's thicker than most modern necks, and makes it a better fit for playing chords and slow solos. Some people prefer this type of neck because it gives them a better grip thanks to the extra mass. Still, the vast majority prefer a thinner, faster, and more ''modern'' neck.

The Gibson 70s Flying V, on the other hand, has a C neck. This is what you'll find in most modern guitars. Most people feel like the thickness of a C neck is simply the less intrusive one for playing fast, while at the same time allowing you to grab the neck easily for resting if you want to.

Fretboard Radius

PRS SE Silver Sky Maple Fingerboard Radius
PRS SE Silver Sky Maple's Fingerboard radius
Gibson 70s Flying V Fingerboard Radius
Gibson 70s Flying V's Fingerboard radius

Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.

In this case, the PRS SE Silver Sky Maple's fingerboard radius is smaller, which means it's more curved than the Gibson 70s Flying V's. This extra arc will make playing chords easier in this model. You won't be as likely to mute the strings, especially if you have big hands. However, playing single notes and bending will be easier on the Gibson 70s Flying V.

Fret Size

PRS SE Silver Sky Maple and Gibson 70s Flying V Frets Size
Both have a similar Medium Jumbo fret size

Both have a Medium Jumbo fret size. These are slightly shorter than full Jumbo frets, so you'll still feel the fretboard when pressing down the strings. However, they interfere less with your fretting hand than medium-size frets. This is a good size if you like easy-to-press frets, but would still like to feel a bit of the fretboard when playing.

Final Playability Scores

PRS SE Silver Sky Maple
Bending & Vibrato Ease 60
Chord Playability 100
Solo Playability 50
Playability 70
Gibson 70s Flying V
Bending & Vibrato Ease 85
Chord Playability 65
Solo Playability 70
Playability 73